A New Commandment + Love and Vengeance

A New Commandment


A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:  just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
--John 13: 31-35

In an incredible context, we receive an incredible command.  Jesus is sitting down for his last meal.  Directly after being abandoned by a dear friend, and directly before his horrific death, Jesus gives a new commandment.
"Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."
And what is the purpose of this great call?
"By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.
Love is important.  Love is so important that our Savior says we are identified by it.  Jesus says that love is how the world knows we are His.  It is important, then, to look very carefully at what our God means when He tells us to love. 


The extent to which we know and apply Biblical love is the extent to which we make it obvious to the world that we belong to Jesus.


Love and Vengeance


Leviticus 19:18 
"You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD."


Love, in this verse, is described by what it does not do.  Love never has a grudge or a desire for vengeance upon those who harm us.


The problem with this commandment is that, even as believers, we do suffer harm from others--even other believers.  Because we live in a fallen world, we hurt each other.  Until I reach heaven, I will have to deal with biting words from family members, sharp-edged sarcastic remarks from friends, mean-spirited jabs disguised as rebukes, criticisms motivated by jealousy, and undeserved anger caused by circumstances unrelated to me.  But the Bible says that the way to respond to these injuries is never, ever to hand back what is dished out. 


Not only are we not to exact our own revenge, but we are also commanded to not even hold a grudge.


Do you realize what this means?  It means that if you have been wronged and do not fire back a single unkind word, it is still possible to sin.  The root of the sin of vengeance--the grudge--is deeply buried in the heart.  A retaliatory attitude can be present (even controllingly so) and not be visible to anyone else. 


Holding a grudge is refusing to think well of someone who wronged you. It is unforgiveness held close to the heart.  It is a treasured ill will towards another person.  It is the voice in your head that says you would be justified in being mean to that person but you are being extra godly by holding back. 


How guilty are we of this?  Most of us carry just as many grudges as we do scars of being hurt.  It can feel so impossible to love that person who made fun of you in front of friends you look up to, or who belittled you out of his own pride, or who excluded you when she invited everyone else.  It seems rediculous to think of looking at that person the same way again, as though they never did that evil thing.  You look at them through the ugly veil of your own hurt, and their image is forever marred by the fog of your grudge.


There is only one escape, only one way to "love your neighbor as yourself" and that is in the identity of your God. 


"I am the LORD."


Freedom from a begrudging heart can only be found in the One who has forgiven you.  For you greatly wronged Him, spurning Him to His face repeatedly, day after day.  Yet now, when He looks at you (if you have become one of His own), He willingly does not see one who is an enemy.  He has chosen to look at you as though you never sinned against Him.  How much more, then, ought we sinners to willingly close our eyes to the faults of those who wrong us. 


To image Christ to the world, love others by forgetting their wrongs against you through confidence in who God is.